


Fruit Salad

by ForgottenStorm87



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Cravings, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Fruit, Grocery Shopping, Married Life, Pineapples, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:52:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29845236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgottenStorm87/pseuds/ForgottenStorm87
Summary: "Relena. What is it?""Well… I'm having a craving.""A craving? At 3:30 in the morning?""Your son is hungry.""Our son is picky." He heard her give a feminine chuckle. "What do need?""Could you… please go to the store and pick up some fresh fruit?""Fruit?" This wasn't her first craving."Yes. Your baby wants fruit salad.""Our baby wants fruit salad in the middle of the night?""Early morning, yes." He sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was go to the store but… "Please…?" He couldn't tell her 'no'. Not after that. The corners of his lips turned up in a wry smile."I'll be there in a little over an hour."
Relationships: Relena Peacecraft/Heero Yuy
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	Fruit Salad

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The Love Reflection Discord Server](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+Love+Reflection+Discord+Server).



Heero Yuy stared in perplexed wonder at the peculiar fruit. He could not, for the life of him understand its appeal. The large, spiky, brown, thing was oddly shaped: perhaps most akin to a cylinder. It had spiky green leaf-like appendages coming from one end that were just as unappealing. 

He knew this fruit. Or, rather, he threw this fruit. Once. Nearly another lifetime ago. It had been lying on the beach just outside the soldiers' camp where he and Quatre were, at the time, being held as prisoners of war. Apparently, the commander's dogs had taken a liking to Heero though he had no idea why. He didn't like being around dogs. They reminded him of the puppy…

He had initially, absentmindedly, picked up the odd, spiky brown thing, as one might sea glass or a shell and studied it. Coming from the colonies, he had never seen anything like it. Most forms of produce were difficult to grow well on the colonies due to various elements he had neither the time, nor mental energy to recount. 

The dogs seemed to want to play and-though he had never played with one before- he remembered vaguely from his primary school books that dogs chased things and fetched them when they were thrown. He did not know if those dogs knew how to fetch, but the thing in his hand seemed useless enough. He tossed it into the water and, to his surprise, the dogs had, indeed, chased it.

Now, on the produce shelf of the local market, at 4 A.M. sat the same offending object. A fruit. 

"Pineapple." He read aloud as he picked one up. Part of the name seemed to make sense: 'pine'. It did, in some respects, resemble a pine cone. But the 'apple' part eluded him. He frowned, tucked it into his shopping basket with the other various fruits and went to the register to pay. His mind went to the reason for the for this early-morning errand...

He had stayed late for a training exercise at Preventer. A new batch of recruits needed quite a bit more guidance and the usual instructor had called in with the flu and no one else had been available. It had already been a tough day. Duo spilled fresh, hot coffee on his Heero's shirt earlier while reaching for a folder causing Heero to stop what he was doing and try to salvage the garment and tend to his scalded skin. Case files and guard logs were a mess that he, personally, had had to sort through. His eyes burned from lack of sleep, his head pounded. He wanted to go home to his wife… but Preventer needed him to babysit.

They weren't the best or the brightest recruits. Heero doubted they even knew how to tie their shoes. One of the cadets had gotten sick from the exertion and had puked right on his shoes and uniform pants. Heero knew he had a change of clothes. He tried to shower and rid himself of the day's messes, but the showers in the locker room were broken. 

He was tired. He needed a shower. He needed food. He also needed his wife…

He was nearly home. He couldn't wait to take her in his arms and bury his face in her hair. A glance at the clock reminded him of the ungodly hour. She would be asleep. In her condition, sleep was something they both needed. At times, she was practically wanton; pawing at him every chance she got. Other times, she was distant, not wanting even a kiss. Thankfully, the latter of the two was rare but there were other, minor side effects that caused him grief. Her constant trips to the bathroom at night woke him as well. He was a light sleeper by necessity and- though she tried to be quiet; tried not to disturb him- it was no use. 

When the unmistakable sound of his phone pierced the quiet of the car, he looked down to see that it was none other than his wife. It was so early. She should have been asleep. A thousand negative scenarios and possible problems ran through his mind in the short time it took him to answer.

"Relena?"

"Heero, where are you?"

"I'm nearly home. Training went late."

"I was worried."

"I'm sorry." He paused and looked at the clock again. "What are you doing up?" He most likely knew the answer.

"Your son was dancing on my bladder again."

"Hn." He knew all too well the nightly behaviors of their unborn child. It was one of the causes of his exhaustion.

"How far away are you?"

"About five miles."

"Oh." There was that tone. He didn't like that tone of voice. That tone always left him concerned. 

"What is it?"

"It's nothing, Heero, really. You're tired. I just want to have you here." he could tell that she was telling the truth. Partially. She did not want to inconvenience him but there was something she wanted.

"Relena… What is it?"

"Have you passed that small grocery store already?" Heero glanced up as the sign for the store went by.

"Yes."

"Oh." Disappointment. Not good. 

"What is it?" He needed to know. She worked hard every day. Every second of her day was spent trying to do her very best to improve the lives of others through her work. She was one of the most selfless women he knew. And she had chosen him to be her husband. The father of their child. She was carrying his child; something he never thought he would have. 

"Nothing."

"Relena…"

"It's nothing, really."

"Relena. What is it?"

"Well… I'm having a craving."

"A craving? At 3:30 in the morning?"

"Your son is hungry."

"Our son is picky." He heard her give a feminine chuckle. "What do need?"

"Could you… please go to the store and pick up some fresh fruit?"

"Fruit?" This wasn't her first craving. Duo had told him at the beginning of her pregnancy that when Hilde was pregnant she craved ice cream and chocolate and a few other strange combinations of things. Relena's Cravings had been interesting to say the least. Fruit was perhaps one of her most normal. 

"Yes. Your baby wants fruit salad."

"Our baby wants fruit salad in the middle of the night?"

"Early morning, yes." He sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was go to the store but… "Please…?" He couldn't tell her 'no'. Not after that. The corners of his lips turned up in a wry smile.

"I'll be there in a little over an hour."

"Thank you! I'll text you what we need." He could hear her smile. "I love you."

And so it was that Heero found himself driving all around Newport city looking for fruit. The first store he found did not open again until eight. The second had everything he needed except pineapple. He hadn't really known what he was looking for but the shelf cap for the desired fruit was empty. He asked the clerk who shrugged and pointed to the canned goods aisle. That wouldn't work. She wanted fresh. He stormed out to the car, sped to the next store and finally found the produce of choice! Finally, he could go home to his shower and his bed and his very pregnant wife…

Heero handed the clerk the cash, grabbed the bag of fruit, and shoved the change haphazardly into his pocket before making his way back to the car... But as he walked, he heard it: the first of the fruit falling on the ground with a disheartening 'splat'. He watched, rather perturbed as the ripened peach lay in ruins on the pavement. The apple, pear, and grapes rolled across the cold, dark asphalt. Heero swore under his breath and checked the bag…

A large hole. In the bag.

Heero Yuy was a patient man. For years he lived controlling his emotions and keeping a cool head under stressful circumstances. But he was human. Being with Relena had opened his heart and changed him. And even he had his breaking point…

First the coffee. Then paperwork. Then the headache. Then the puke. The sleepless nights. The long shifts. The broken shower.

Now: ruined fruit. Because of a large hole. In the shopping bag. Made by the spiky green and brown freak of nature known only to him as pineapple. 

He was tired. Irritated. Angry. He picked the offending fruit up and, without thinking, threw it across the parking lot as he had once done on the beach so long ago.

He listened to the satisfying sound of the pineapple colliding with a light post. He breathed in and out in heavy puffs as his temper cooled. Finally, as his pulse slowed, he realized what he had done. Disappointed to be defeated by the pointy produce, Heero reentered the store, gathered the listed items, walked to the counter and prepared to pay the same boy. The clerk, clearly puzzled, looked as if he wanted to ask a question but a simple glare was enough to kill his curiosity. 

Heero paid the clerk, pocketed the change and made his way to the car. This time he made sure to ask for doubled paper bags. He pushed the speed limit on the drive back. He had told her a little over an hour. It had taken him over two. He thanked whatever higher power that might exist that he and his wife had the entire day off. He pulled into the drive, up into the garage, parked and turned off the car. He grabbed the bag and all but jumped from the car. He made his way to the kitchen but was surprised to see her there. 

She had fallen asleep in the breakfast nook in one of the more comfortable chairs. Her hair had fallen over her shoulder where her head had lulled to the side. One hand held a book that looked about to fall, the other rested gently on her swollen stomach. Just like that, his fruit-induced frustration melted away, the warmth of paternal pride took its place. Leaving the bag on the counter, he walked over and knelt before her. He placed his hand gently over their unborn child and rested his head against the bump. He felt her fingers in his hair and looked up to see her smiling down at him.

"Heero." She cooed in a sleepy voice. He smiled up at her.

"Sorry I'm late." He raised up and kissed her forehead.

"What happened?" The events that delayed him played before him like a gag reel on speed. He began to feel the frustration return but one look from her quelled the storm. 

"There were... unforeseen complications." He tucked some stray hair behind her ear. "Nothing I couldn't handle." Her brows knit and her lips turned down in a small frown.

"I'm so sorry." She reached for him and he let her grab his hands. "All of that fuss, for me."

"And our child." Heero reminded her.

"Yes. Our child does have an appetite." He smiled and leaned his forehead to touch hers.

"Well, then let's give our son his fruit salad." He helped her stand up, taking a moment to pull her close into his arms and kiss her deeply, one hand going behind her neck, tangling in her hair, the other pressing in the small of her back. She moaned softly. He pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers again. 

"I needed that." He whispered huskily. 

"Me too." She smiled and she pulled away, reluctantly. "Let's get started." There was something he wanted to get started. Fruit salad was not that thing, but he followed her to the kitchen Island and helped acquire the bowl, knives, and cutting boards. He pulled out the fruit and rinsed it thoroughly before handing her the first piece. He took the apple and the banana, she took the grapes and the pear and the peach. They made quick work of each in comfortable silence, placing the finished fruit in the bowl. 

"You did get the pineapple." He looked at the spiky offender as she pulled it out of the bag. He nodded. "And it is… certainly fresh." He stared at her. Was she… disappointed?

"It was all they had. Besides canned. You said you wanted fresh." She nodded. 

"I did." She smiled, but it was an awkward smile.” I just forgot how difficult fresh pineapple is to clean." Heero fought back a groan. "We could just forget it. I don't absolutely need it in my salad." 

Didn't need it? After all the fuss tracking it down. Just for her. She didn't really need it? He stared once more at the ugly, pointy, obnoxious fruit and felt the urge to throw it again… and then he got an idea. He remembered the sound the pineapple made as it hit the light post. The satisfying sound had also included some form of a 'splat'. Heero grinned. It wasn't indestructible. 

"No, we can do this." He grabbed the biggest, strongest knife he could find, a cleaver really, and held it above the pineapple. "Stand back." 

She walked to the breakfast nook to wait. Without another thought, he dropped the cleaver down, repetitively on the pineapple. Juice sprayed everywhere as he massacred the fruit with ruthless efficiency. All the frustrations of the week found a home in the edge of the blade as it sliced and diced the strange produce. Finally, when the chunks were fully cut and cleaned, the carnage left behind on the counter made his efforts all worth it. 

As if sensing she had the 'all clear', Relena made her way back over and wrapped her arms around him from the side.

"Feel better?" She asked. He nodded, breathing even and controlled. "Should I even ask what the poor pineapple did to you?" He frowned.

"No." 

"Ok." She smiled. "I'm sorry my request caused you so much trouble, but," she popped a piece of the pineapple in her mouth and the sigh that she released with her smile as she began to chew stirred a different sort of craving inside him. "Fresh pineapple really is worth it." He couldn't help it, he claimed her lips with his, crushing her gently to him as his tongue sought entry. She permitted it, returning his embrace as her tongue dueled with hers. A new taste: acidic, tangy, yet sweet. He found himself wanting more of the strange fruit. 

When the kiss broke, her eyes were heavy-lidded and swirling with desire. She smiled and began to dump the salvageable parts of the fruit in with the rest of the salad. He stopped her, an idea forming. 

"Heero?" She inquired. He smiled at her, his new craving taking over.

"We'll need that for later." She raised a brow curiously. 

"Ok…" he knew by her smile she understood his meaning and as he followed her to their bedroom with two bowls of fruit. Heero decided that pineapple may be an ugly fruit, but it wasn't so bad. Especially when it's taste was on her lips.


End file.
